Espresso Machine II

1993-1995, four channels, duo for electronic cello (Chris Chafe playing his celleto), three midi controlled synthesizers and the custom software PadMaster (controlled by a Radio Drum).

Program Notes

Espresso Machine II is the second incarnation of the first piece that uses PadMaster, a new improvisation / performance environment built around the Mathew/Boie Radio Drum and written by the composer on a workstation running the NextStep operating system and a live electronic cello player (Chris Chafe playing his electronic Celletto). PadMaster is written in Objective-C and uses the MusicKit classes as the basic foundation for MIDI control and sequence playback. The Radio Drum interfaces with the NeXT through a custom MIDI protocol and is used to trigger and control isolated events and event sequences in real time. PadMaster splits the drum surface into programmable virtual pads that can be grouped in sets or "scenes", which in turn represent different behavioral patterns for the different sections of the piece.

Espresso Machine is an evolving dialog between the acoustic / electronic sounds of the Celletto and the contrasting timbres played by the composer on two TG77 synthesizer modules through the PadMaster program controlled by the Radio Drum. PadMaster essentially provides several pallettes of pre-built elements that are combined and controlled in real time to generated an electronic soundscape for the Celletto performance.

Performances

• Max Mathews Celebration, The Stage, CCRMA, Stanford, May 29th 2011
• Stanford Synphony Orchestra, Spring Concert, Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford, May 28th 2011

  Part of a special program dedicated to Max Mathew's memory

• An Afternoon of Music for Digits and Fingers, San José Museum of Art, San José, May 12th 2002

  Chris Chafe performed on Dilruba this time

• ICMC 2005 Concerts, Banff, Canada, September 5th 1995
• LIPM / Centro Cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 4th 1995
• International New Music Festival, Center for Cultural and Ethnic Studies, National University, San Diego, April 20th 1995
• The San Jose Chamber Music Society Concert / Lectures, "CCRMA: Extended Virtuosity: a demonstration of computers in live performance", March 12th 1995
• American Music Week, Electroacoustic Music Concert, School of Music Concert Hall, San Jose State University, November 10th 1994
• A 20th Century Argentinean Music Concert, Garret Hall, University of Virginia, October 7th 1994 (East Coast Tour)
• Intercambio / Exchange, Miriam Friedberg Hall, Peabody Conservatory, October 5th 1994 (East Coast Tour)
• Music North/South, Colgate Memorial Chapel, Colgate University, October 4th 1994 (East Coast Tour)
• Electroacoustic Concert, Salle Pollack Concert Hall, McGill University, September 30 1994 (East Coast Tour)
• Digital Music under the Stars, CCRMA Summer Concert, July 21st 1994
• Intercambio/Exchange Concerts, CRCA (Center for Research in Computing and the Arts), UCSD, March 30th 1994

CD

ICMC '95 Digital Playgrounds, a compilation cd for pieces performed during ICMC 1995 in Banff, Canada.

Fernando Lopez-Lezcano

Composer, performer, lecturer and computer systems administrator at CCRMA, Stanford University

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